Stuck in a Rut
by AlistarBundy
Summary: Working as an office lady, Miura Yumiko finds herself a little bit disheartened, a little bit depressed, and a little bit lonely. She's stuck in a rut while all her friends have successful careers and relationships. But in all her years, she never expected THAT person to pull her out of a rut.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: The Tender Beauty is Stuck in a Rut**

The sound of her cellphone alarm yanked her unceremoniously out of a dreamless slumber. A solitary, slender, hand emerged from the mass of sheets flailing wildly against her bedside nightstand in search of the object amassing such a ruckus. With the cellphone now in grasp, she pulls the object into the sheets to silence it.

"Ah...geez..Just gimme one more minute. Will ya?"

She gave herself twenty.

After giving herself ample time to collect herself, she glanced at the time according to her cellphone: ten minutes to seven. She had plenty of time to wash her face, eat, take a quick shower, get dressed, apply her makeup and still make it in time to the station to catch her 8:00 train. She better get started.

Rubbing her eyes, she rose from her bed to give herself a great, satisfying, stretch. Looking down at the adjacent coffee table by her bedside, she blinked when she saw the number of empty Asahi Stout beer cans laying on the table's surface.

 _'Damn. I really didn't mean to drink that much…'_

Sauntering off to the bathroom to wash her face, the woman gazed upon her reflection in the mirror. Her face was marred by last night's dried-up makeup and the heavy-set bags underneath her eyes. Still, a wash and a little bit of makeup will take care of that.

* * *

A quick meal and a shower did wonders for her presently horrible state. After putting on out what she planned: a white blouse, a black pencil skirt and a pair of black pumps, she began applying her makeup. She was always fond of wearing expensive makeup. With the way her life was now, she felt that she had plenty to splurge.

Even so, despite her own personal reassurances, it was those kinds of feelings that made her feel a small pang of bitterness deep within her heart. There was an emptiness that she couldn't exactly determine the cause of and it frustrated her to no end that she could not completely reconcile those bitter feelings.

Realizing she was beginning to dig herself into yet another one of these mental pits she found herself recently, she shook her head in attempt to shake those thoughts away and patted her cheeks. Taking deep, steady, breaths; she took one final look at her reflection and couldn't help but crack a small smile. She always was one who prided herself for her innate beauty, her athletic physique and her skillful application of makeup.

She was beautiful; she was presentable; and now, she was ready to leave.

Taking a black blazer from her coat rack and one of her small black leather handbags, she made her way out her apartment door only to run into a grizzled, middle-age man who was standing in front of the entrance. On the inside, she grimaced. She really didn't want to deal with her landlord right now.

"You're late on your rent, Yumiko. This isn't like you." Her landlord, Hachinose Rokuro – or "Hachiroku-san" as all the other tenants and the man himself preferred to call himself – began. He pulled out a carton of cigarettes from his pocket and began to tap the box against his open palm.

"I know. I know. I'm sorry Hachiroku-san." She apologized with eyes downcast; scratching her head in mild frustration. "Look, I'll give you an envelope with the month's rent as soon as I can. Is that okay?"

"Fine." Hachiroku-san pulled out a cigarette from the carton, lit it up and faced away from her towards the balcony.

"Thank you sir." She finished with a curt bow and began making her way towards the stairs.

"Yumiko." He called out; halting her pace. Not even facing her as he spoke, taking one long drag of his cigarette, Hachiroku-san began, "If you ever need someone to hear you out, I'm here to listen."

"Thanks Hachiroku-san. I really appreciate it. I really do. But I really gotta get going now." Yumiko bowed one final time before making her way to the station. Hachiroku-san truly was a nice person, she thought, although she felt he was far too intimidating for her to be completely comfortable around.

"Take care now."

* * *

Since the arrival time of her destination was roughly thirty minutes away, Yumiko set up an alarm to ring approximately around that time. Resting the back of her head against the window behind her, she closed her eyes in an attempt to catch some last minute sleep before clocking in to work.

She couldn't.

Her thoughts wouldn't allow her such reprieve.

As an administrative assistant for a Tokyo-based publishing company, Shogakukan Incorporated, her job was relatively simple and paid well – enough to support a comfortable living situation for herself. By all means, she should be grateful for what she has and what she has accomplished. After all, she managed to survive her college entrance exams, four years of university to earn a marketing degree and a string of undesirable part-time retail work to get to this position.

Regardless, much to her own frustration, she was still unhappy. Was it because her work was hardly meaningful? Then again, what was really meaningful to her? She never really thought about those kinds of things. Now, in what may be the first time in her life, she found herself suffering an existential crisis.

As she reflected upon past happenings, it dawned on her that maybe perhaps she had no real ambition in her life. She chose the path of liberal arts rather haphazardly in an attempt to follow the object of her affection, Hayama Hayato, into their third year.

 _'Hayato-kun…'_

Hayama Hayato. Now that was a name that carried bittersweet memories for her.

Prior to her high school graduation, she finally gathered the courage to confess her feelings to Hayato. To her dismay, he shot her down as painlessly as he possibly could. Still, it pained her heart so. She had spent years – practically her entire high school career – pining after him. She couldn't help but wonder…

Was she too late?

If only she was more honest about her feelings then maybe things would've been different. Despite that, she knew that deep down, Hayato would never reciprocate her affections. There was always an invisible wall that separated him from everyone else – including her. Even so, she continued to hope til the very end that one day maybe she could finally win Hayato's heart.

It was an outcome that never came to light.

The one truth that Miura Yumiko would never come to realize was that Hayama Hayato's smile was never directed towards her.

The truth of the matter was that Hayama Hayato smiled for his own sake in order to maintain that warm and affable facade.

Maybe that was it.

Maybe she was just lonely.

Yeah.

 _'Yeah…'_

...Yeah! That's it!

 _'Geez...I really should get myself a boyfriend.'_

Rather than continuing to think about her own affairs, Yumiko's thoughts fell on to her friends Hina and Yui. Despite her best intentions and as happy and supportive as she was for her friends, Yumiko couldn't help but feel a little bit envious.

Hina was also living in Tokyo and the two hang out together from time to time when their schedules allow for it. She had been working as a Key Animator for an animation studio called Feel for the last couple of years and only recently she had been bumped up to Animation Director for several episodes for a number of the season's currently airing series. Even though she had quite a busy schedule, Hina mentioned that she had been seeing someone for quite some time.

 _'Is it Tobe?'_ Yumiko wondered. It's been a while since she last heard from him, though he seemed extremely happy the last time they spoke.

Still, Hina was getting closer and closer to reaching her dreams .

As for Yui, she continues to live in Chiba working as a nurse at the Chiba University Hospital. She is happily married and expecting her first child. She felt a tinge of pride when Yui insisted that she, Hina and Yukinoshita Yukino, her former rival and Yui's other close friend, to be her child's maternal godmothers. Yumiko had met Yui's husband on many occasions and she thought that he was a good man; hard-working and kind. Yumiko couldn't help but feel a little bit jealous.

Indeed, her loneliness probably was the root of her despair. As she was rapidly approaching the tender age of 25, she thought to herself that maybe she finally understood Hiratsuka-sensei's plight.

But before she could continue that new train of thought, her cellphone alarm unceremoniously pulled her out of her reverie once again.

[You have now arrived at Jimbocho Station...]

Unfortunately, Yumiko was unable to catch even a wink of sleep.

Well, at least she tried. Right?

* * *

It wasn't often that Miura Yumiko came to the break room for lunch. Normally, she preferred to eat her meals at her desk so she didn't have to deal with being part of any unwanted gossip by the other administrative assistants.

One time, three years ago when she was roughly three months on the job, as she was making her way to the restroom, she managed to hear several other women gossiping among themselves in the hallway.

"Hey, isn't that one of the recent hires?"

"I think so. What's her name again?"

"It's Miura Yumiko. She's in my department."

"Oh really? What's she like?"

"I'm not really sure. She seems nice enough I guess."

"You sure? Yeah, she's really beautiful and all, but she looks like a total bitch to me."

"I agree."

"Yeah! Me too!"

 _'Tch. How annoying.'_ She thought to herself. She would've loved more than anything else in the world at that very moment to shut them up.

It wasn't as if she particularly cared about what they had to say – those women gossiped on just about anybody who worked with them – it was just she found herself biting her tongue far too often so she didn't have to lose face or even her job due to her temper. Since then, she made it a habit to eat at her desk.

Now, since those women are now long gone from the company, she wanted to go to the break room and fix up a cup of coffee for herself. Recently, in her current spell, she couldn't stand to take her coffee in anything other than black. As a purveyor of all things sweet, it was something she found highly unusual.

Maybe it was just those bitter feelings she kept inside.

A man in a crisp black suit came inside the break room and made a bee line straight towards one of the nearby vending machines. Yumiko heard the soft clang of metal and she saw the man bend to down to claim his prize. Can now in hand, the man cracked open his can of yellow and black and began chugging away its contents furiously. An elated sigh escaped his lips as he finished.

"Huh? Is that you, Hikio?" Yumiko motioned for Hikio – or rather Hikigaya Hachiman, his real name – to come over and take a seat next to her.

"Miura?"

"How's Yui doing?" Yumiko watched as Hachiman's face softened slightly at the mention of his wife.

"Same as always. She's been in high spirits lately." Hachiman commented.

"I can imagine. Did you two ever think up a name yet?"

"Yeah. It turns out we'll be having a daughter in just a few months. Her name will be Hikari."

"How cute! I can't wait to see her! What made you two decide on that name?"

"Uhh...I was the one who pitched it to Yui. I thought it was cute and she fell in love with the name right away."

"I never expected you to have a cute side, Hikio."

"Well, Hikari is going to be the light of my life, you know~" The way those words came out of Hachiman's mouth sounded lovingly proud but also somewhat sleazy at the same time.

"Ugh. Disgusting." Yumiko shook her head with a grimace. "I can't tell if you're just being a loving father or a creep."

"Obviously it's the former. Who the hell do you think I am?"

"I think you're a creep." Yumiko retorted.

"Gah..."

In the years since Yui had married Hachiman. Yumiko fostered a certain kind of relationship with Yui's husband. While the two didn't talk to each other much, they were certainly more than just mere acquaintances. However, calling each other friends was a bit too strong for either of their tastes. They were in a weird in-between region in the current state of social's affairs. The closest approximation that either of the two could think of was that they were in-laws who were generally comfortable spending time with one another.

"How is work by the way?" Yumiko asked, changing the subject.

"They work me like a dog." Hachiman spat as if the words left a bad taste in his mouth. "Dealing with Zaimokuza is already a pain in the ass, but now Watari as well? Give me a break!"

"Wait. Hold on Hikio. You're talking about the same Zaimokuza we went to high school with?"

"Yeah. You know, that oaf used to be a horrible writer back in high school. I'm actually surprised that he was able to produce something palatable for once. If only he could meet his damn deadlines!"

"Ugh. That sounds totally rough." Yumiko shook her head in agreement. Although she wasn't completely aware of the inner workings of the editorial process, she had heard many water cooler horror stories from the editorial department in the three years she's been with Shogakukan.

"Damn straight. The company needs to hire more competent editors. We can't keep on having people backing out of projects or calling it quits."

"I can't say that I envy you."

"You don't need to. I lost the moment I decided to join the workforce." He scoffed. As he finished his beverage, Hachiman rose from his chair and tossed his now empty can of MAX COFFEE into the trash.

"I don't get how anyone can like that stuff. Even for me, that stuff is way too sweet!"

"Life is too bitter, so coffee, at least, should be sweet." Hachiman mused as he made his way towards the door.

"Haah? What are you even talking about? That totally doesn't make any sense!"

"I'll see you later Miura."

"Feh. Bye Hikio."

Deep down, Yumiko understood the depths of Hachiman's words. She herself had a taste from the bitter chalice of life. Tossing her empty paper cup into the trash and making her way into the hall, she watched as Hachiman dragged his feet through the hallways of Shogakukan.

 _'Yui is really lucky she has a guy like Hikio.'_ She mused. She couldn't help but feel a little bit envious of Yui. Other than his eyes, Hikio was pretty easy on the eyes. She could even consider him to be handsome. He was also dependable; hard-working; and most of all, kind, even though he has a twisted way of displaying it.

Maybe back then if she didn't have her eyes solely on Hayama Hayato then maybe she would've gave Hikigaya Hachiman a chance.

Maybe then, things would've been different.

Maybe if she were more honest with her feelings then maybe things would've been different.

But in the end, it wouldn't even matter. Miura Yumiko could spend the rest of her days musing over the maybes, wishing what could have been, wishing for a past that no longer exists, and it wouldn't even change anything.

After all, time stops for no one.

And even if she had the kind of power to turn back time, it still wouldn't mean a thing because no matter what, the one thing that Miura Yumiko was afraid of most of all, was change itself.

* * *

 **A/N:** I've always wanted to write a fic featuring Yumiko as the main protagonist. I've got a lot of ideas for this one but it'll take some time for me to work them out.

By the way, if you're familiar with my other work, _Of Fish Eyes and Chinese Buns,_ this is actually a spin-off of that fic's first chapter.

Enjoy guys.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: The Tender Beauty Meets the Blossom of Hope**

* * *

Today was just another day for Miura Yumiko. At her desk, she was typing away another report for the department head. After three years on the job, Yumiko found that she could perform all her necessary duties as if she was on autopilot.

"...Um...Miura-senpai..." A meek, youthful, voice called out to her. Pulling her eyes away from her computer screen, Yumiko turned to face the owner of the voice: one of the Shogakukan's new administrative assistants, Kawamura Kyoko. She was petite brunette with a bob cut that framed the outline of her face. She wore a light peach frilled dress that seem to have emphasized her youthfulness.

"Huh? What's up Kyoko?"

Kyoko twisted a lock of her light brown hair around her finger and darted her eyes nervously to-and-fro in between Yumiko and the floor below. Her lips formed silent O's as if she was unable to find just the right words to say.

"...Um..." Kyoko began.

Yumiko felt her face slowly contorting to a slight scowl and crossed her arms impatiently as she waited for her junior to speak.

"...Yes?" There was a hint of annoyance laced in Yumiko's voice.

"...I...I...was...wondering..."

"...You were wondering?" Yumiko parroted.

Unable to contain herself, Kyoko felt her own walls crumble from within. "I WAS WONDERING IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO GRAB SOMETHING TO EAT AFTER WORK!"

Kyoko's sudden outburst left Yumiko at a loss for words. She blinked in silent surprise and found herself slightly slack-jawed. To think that such a meek girl had such a powerful voice!

"...Uhhh..."

"Sorry!" Kyoko bowed apologetically at a frantic rate. "I'm so sorry Miura-senpai! I didn't mean to yell at you!"

"Hey, hey, now. C'mon. Don't worry about it. It's okay. It's okaaay." Yumiko drawled in an attempt to calm the younger girl down.

After taking a few short, deep, breaths; Kyoko was able to return to a more balanced state. "Oh, thank goodness!" The younger girl beamed. "So...you wanna go for lunch?"

"Eh...sure. Why not? Maybe we can even have a drink too?" Yumiko shrugged. It was a Friday and it wasn't like she had anything better to do today. She would've otherwise spent her night at home blowing off some steam drinking beer and watching TV. It was a good thing Yumiko was diligent with her exercise routine. She could afford an indulgence every now and then.

At this point, she'd do anything to quell that pit of loneliness.

"Sounds good! Thank you Miura-senpai!"

As the girl proceeded to bolt away from Yumiko's desk, the older woman rose from the seat and called out to her.

"Wait! Kyoko! Hold on. Why you were so scared to talk to me?" Yumiko placed her hands on her hips, demanding an answer.

"Umm...I really didn't want to say this, but you're actually really scary Miura-senpai." Kyoko pointed out. Yumiko's face soured at her kohai's remark.

"Geez...I shouldn't have asked..." Yumiko dejectedly replied.

Kyoko shook her head as if she disagreed with her senpai's statement. Taking a moment to find the proper words to say, Kyoko continued, "W-wait! You're actually really cool! I mean, I personally admire you! I...I've always wanted to talk to you. I-It's just that you got this aura around you that just...just kinda intimidates people...and...and...I was kinda afraid to offend you as well..."

"...Oh..."

"Umm...so...lunch after work?" Kyoko asked for the final time.

"That's fine."

"Great!" Kyoko exclaimed and clasped Yumiko's hands in a fit of happiness; making the older woman think that Kyoko was actually cute in a way. "I should go now. I'll see you later, Miura-senpai."

Reaching to halt Kyoko's movements, Yumiko called out to the younger woman once more.

"Kyoko. Wait."

"What's up Miura-senpai?"

"It's okay to call me Yumiko, y'know? I'd actually prefer it if you called me that."

Upon hearing those words, Kyoko's lips shifted to a bright smile.

"Sure thing Miu-err...uh...Yu...Yu...Yumiko-senpai! I'll see you later."

"Later."

Turning back to face her computer monitor, Yumiko attempted to return to her work. For a moment, she found herself in a minor impasse.

 _'What was I supposed to do again?'_ She blinked and wondered. _'Oh yeah...that report…'_

* * *

"Color me surprised. So even Miura Yumiko can feel lonely, huh?" Hachiman commented as he sipped some of his coffee.

"I don't need to hear that from you, Hikio." Yumiko retorted.

Once again, the two found themselves sharing their break in the company break room, musing over things over a cup of coffee.

"...I've hardly been invited to these kinds of things." Yumiko muttered dejectedly as she deflated into a slightly pitiful mess.

"How fortunate. Some of the senior editors invite me out for beer or ramen from time to time..."

 _'What? Even Hikio gets invited out? Geez...give me a break. Have I seriously fallen this far?'_

Thoughts like these further depressed Yumiko. With a solitary right index finger circling the rim of her cup, she spent the next couple minutes staring at the black depths of her coffee silently dwelling over her thoughts while Hachiman continued to sip on his coffee in relative peace.

As her gaze remained firmly planted on her beverage, Yumiko uttered,

"Hey...Hikio..."

"What is it?"

"Am...Am I like...totally scary?"

Hachiman took a moment to mull over Yumiko's simple request. He wasn't sure if he'd like to answer the question posed to him the way he'd like. Of course, this was the Queen of Fire he was dealing with. A little bit of diplomacy and a velvet glove would do wonders in situations like these.

Then again, the Queen wasn't going to have none of it. Taking Hachiman's momentary silence as disheartening, she urged him to answer truthfully.

"C'mon. Just gimme it straight. I need to hear this." She insisted.

"Uhh...yeah. You're totally scary."

Yumiko ran a hand through her locks in mild frustration.

"Ugh. I guess Kyoko was right."

Soon after, Kyoko entered the break room, with a brown envelope in her left hand, scanning the area as if she was looking for someone. Upon spotting Yumiko sitting at one of the tables, she scurried over to meet the older woman.

"Hey Yumiko-senpai."

"Kyoko? What's up?"

Taking a moment to find the right words to say, Kyoko began, "Um...you wouldn't happen to know a Hikigaya Hachiman would you?" The younger woman then raised her left arm, folder in hand, and began waving it around. "I happen to have a copy of the new manuscript that Zaimokuza-sensei sent. The department head asked me to give it to Hikigaya-san."

"Hikigaya? You're in luck. He's the guy with rotten face sitting right next to me. Don't worry, he doesn't bite."

"Oi. Oi." Hachiman scowled. As much as he was used to hearing these kinds of remarks from Yukinoshita, he still didn't take too kindly to what Yumiko had said.

Yumiko decided to take this moment to introduce the two. "Anyways...Hikio, this is Kawamura Kyoko. She's the kohai I was talking about."

"Yo." Hachiman simply replied with a slight wave and continued sipping his coffee.

"Nice to meet you Hikigaya-san!" The younger woman gushed and bowed.

Eyeballing the envelope, Hachiman shifted his eyes to meet Kyoko's.

"So that's it huh? Can I see it?"

"Of course!" Kyoko replied as she enthusiastically handed the envelope to Hachiman.

With the envelope now in possession, Hachiman set the envelope on the surface of the table and carefully pulled out its contents. Silently, yet solemnly he began scanning the contents of the manuscript. Out of curiosity, Yumiko and Kyoko peered over his shoulders to see what Zaimokuza produced.

Though they did have a hard time keeping up. Hachiman worked far too fast.

"So...um...Yumiko-senpai? How do you know Hikigaya-san? You seem pretty familiar with him." Kyoko whispered to Yumiko as if to not interrupt Hachiman.

Matching her kohai's volume, Yumiko replied in turn. "Oh Hikio? We went to high school together years ago. He's the husband of a friend of mine."

"Oh, so that's it huh? Here I was thinking there might have been something more. Silly me."

"Hmph. We're more like in-laws if anything." Hachiman commented with his eyes still planted on the manuscript.

Turning towards her kohai, Yumiko noted that they didn't have a plan after their shift is over. "So Kyoko, where do you want to eat? It'll be my treat."

"Um...Saize?" Kyoko replied sheepishly. Yumiko's face scowled slightly at her suggestion.

 _'Ugh...Saize…Seriously?'_

"You don't like Saize?"

"N-No! Saize sounds totally fine!"

"Excellent choice. With a wide selection of cheap and tasty eats, you can never go wrong with Saize." Hachiman added with a degree of reverence. Kyoko's head enthusiastically bobbed in agreement as she found some common ground with the older man.

"You sure read fast, Hikigaya-san." Kyoko remarked, unable to keep up with Hachiman's pace.

"When you've worked with this guy for years, it becomes really easy to discern the good and the bad."

"So...uh…Hikio, how is it coming along?" Yumiko asked.

"Bad."

"Bad?!" The two women replied in unison.

Shaking his head with a look of mild disappointment spread across his face, Hachiman grumbled, "This isn't good. It looks like I'm going to need to call _Author-san_. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

Manuscript now in hand, Hachiman rose up from his seat and began walking towards the break room exit. He pulled out his smartphone and began to dial a number.

"Yo, this is your _editor_ speaking. Look, I know you're in a slump right now but what the hell? Who did you rip off to write this? I'm going to need you to redo this. We're already past the deadline!"

Even though the distance between Hachiman and the two women was slowly but steadily increasing, the two managed to hear the anguished cries of Zaimokuza on the other side of the line as his editor continued to berate him.

"Ugh, that sounds totally rough." Yumiko remarked.

"Those two don't have it easy don't they?" Kyoko added.

* * *

Several hours later, after their shifts were over, at Saize, the two women chose to sit at a booth on the west corner of the front end of the establishment facing the street. At the table, what lay in front of them were two pasta plates. Yumiko chose the squid ink spaghetti plate while Kyoko chose a classic lasagna plate. As her senpai, Yumiko fronted the bill.

Slowly twirling around the pasta on the fork offhandedly with her right hand, with her chin rested on her left palm, Yumiko watched as her kohai happily munched away on some of her pasta. Realizing that she knew nothing about the younger woman, Yumiko decided to shoot a couple of questions towards her kohai.

"So...Kyoko...how do you like working at Shogakukan so far?"

"It's been great Senpai! Everyone is really nice and I feel like I'm starting to learn a lot about the industry." The younger woman beamed.

Nodding in response, Yumiko took a quick sip of her cola.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah! Working with manga is something I've always wanted to do since I was little! I may not be doing exactly what I want to be doing at this very moment, but it's a start!" The younger woman gushed. Afterwards, Kyoko took a moment to catch her breath and sipped on her soda. "A few months before I got hired, I remembered my childhood dream of wanting to work in the manga industry. I quit my previous job so I can work here."

"Seriously? What were you doing before coming here?"

"Um. I was in risk management at a big financial services firm. It was only for a few months, but I wasn't happy over there. It felt like it was the next step I was expected to take, not the step I wanted to take after finishing school."

"Where did you go to school?"

"University of Tokyo. I earned an economics degree when I was an undergrad."

"Wha?! Todai?!"

Yumiko had every right to be surprised. The University of Tokyo, or Todai, is widely considered to be the most prestigious university in all of Japan and ranks among the highest in Asia. Kyoko smiled meekly and chuckled to herself.

"Surprising huh?" Kyoko remarked with Yumiko nodding in agreement. "You know, when I thought about it, I really only chose my concentration to make my parents happy. Don't get me wrong, I like what I studied back in college, but looking back, I realized I had no passion for it. Really, I would've preferred to study literature."

"I see..."

"But you know, I'm happy with where I am now! No complaints! You know, I think I want to become an editor like Hikigaya-san!" The younger woman clasped her hands together and smiled wide. "What about you Senpai? How'd you get into the industry?"

Yumiko took a moment to reflect on the question posed to her.

"Hmm. I fell into it, I guess. I mean, I've read stuff like Sailor Moon when I was little, but you know, it wasn't like I was totally into manga. After I got my marketing degree at Chiba University, I had a pretty hard time finding a job. But a really good friend of mine in the animation industry knew a couple of people who worked for this company and referred me to them. And well...I'm here now. "

"Cool! So where do you plan on going from here?"

Yumiko blinked in response. In truth, she really didn't know the next direction she wanted to take in her life.

"...I really don't know."

 _'And I wish I knew.'_

* * *

The two women walked along the busy streets of the Tokyo metropolis unsure of what to do next. The cacophony of passing cars; horns blazing, engines revving; along with quickly fading sun; the pitter-patter of footsteps, the chatter and the vibrant billboards came together as if to form a neon light orchestra.

They found themselves in front of a contemporary-styled bar, not far from a train station in the Marunouchi business district.

"Kyoko, you still wanna go for a drink? My treat." Yumiko offered after a fair bit of deliberation.

"Sure, Senpai. Sounds fun."

Making their way towards the bar, they took the outermost stools towards the left of the bar.

The bartender, a woman with silver hair tied up in a bun, who was busy cleaning several glasses, noticed the pair's presence and approached them to ask how she can be of service.

"Hi there. What can I get you...ah?"

"Hi, I'd like a glass of...hu-haah?"

A familiar series of ferocious glares occurred between the two women.

"Ah?"

"Hah?"

This woman, whom Yumiko now remembers as Kawasaki Saki, softened her look and regained her composure. Setting a now-clean shot glass down with the rest of the clean glassware, she turned towards Yumiko.

"Well, I never expected to see you here Miura. What can I get you two?"

"I could say the same for you Kawasaki. I'll just have a glass of whiskey. Anything will do. Make it neat."

"Sure. Coming right up." Saki nodded. Turning towards Kyoko, the bartender asked, "And you?"

"Umm...Sapporo is fine." The younger woman replied.

"Sure. I can get that for you miss."

After handing Kyoko her beer, Saki went off to the side to prepare Yumiko's drink, the blonde decided to take note of her surroundings. The establishment was garnished with ultra-contemporary furnishings draped in either white and red that contrasted nicely with the black marble tile work. The majority of the patrons were young twenty-thirty somethings who were most likely young professionals fresh out of college. There were several billiard tables and a section of the place was dedicated to the VIP and karaoke rooms.

 _'Kinda pricey, but this place doesn't look too bad. Maybe one of these days this could be the place where I invite Hina and Yui for a girls night out.'_

And then, there was the sound of glass hitting the counter and Yumiko turned to face the origin of the sound.

"Here."

"Thanks."

Yumiko picked up the glass and held it close to her lips. The nose had notes of basil, pine, and green apple. Upon taking a sip and letting the drink wash over her palette, Yumiko took note of the hints of sweet pears, mint and kiwi. It's finish was both slightly smoky and somewhat like green tea.

"Suntory Hakushu 12." The bartender replied with a wry smile. "If you were wondering."

The blonde uttered a refreshing 'ahhh' as she finished. "It's good."

Saki nodded, acknowledging Yumiko's comment. "It's a favorite of many of the regulars." The bartender then scanned the room, noting the relatively lacking number of patrons compared to their usual fare.

"Hmm. It's quiet today." The bartender commented. "So what brings you here?"

"I'm just having a drink with my kohai." The blonde replied, gesturing towards her companion. "Kyoko, this is Kawasaki Saki. I went to high school with her too."

"How cool! I never expected to meet a bunch of Senpai's high school friends today!" Kyoko gushed.

"Ah?"

"Hah?"

The two older women blinked and replied in unison. Both looked at one another and shook their heads gently before turning to Kyoko.

"I wouldn't exactly call Kawasaki a friend." Yumiko remarked.

"Agreed." Saki replied.

"We were just classmates. Nothing more." The blonde concluded.

"I see." Kyoko nodded.

Afterwards, Kyoko and Yumiko quietly conversed among themselves. Saki took this as a sign to get back to whatever she was doing previously. When she noticed the blonde had finished her drink, the bartender re-approached her to inquire if she would like more.

"Miura, would you like another glass?"

"Sure." Yumiko replied. As the silver-haired bartender made her way to prepare her drink, Yumiko decided to make conversation with her former classmate. Since she was feeling a bit buzzed, the blonde felt rather chatty.

"Hey Kawasaki. How long have you been working here?"

"I've been here since I was...what? Twenty? So I guess around four or five years or so." Saki replied nonchalantly as she placed the whiskey-filled glass in front of the blonde. "Anyways, I won't be here for much longer. I've just turned in my resignation."

"Huh? You got another job?"

Saki nodded.

"Yeah. Ebina helped me land a design gig. I'll be starting in a few weeks."

Yumiko's ears perked at the mention of her friend.

"Ebina?"

"The same Ebina you know. What of it?"

"Nothing." The blonde paused for a moment and stared at the depths of liquor in her glass. "You know, she helped me land my current job too."

"Oh yeah? What do you do?"

"Me? I'm just an office worker. I work at a publishing company."

"I see. I would've imagined you doing something else, Miura." Saki commented. She nodded off to one of her regulars who was calling it a night.

Yumiko pressed her glass softly against her lips and sighed deeply.

"...Yeah?" She drawled.

Saki hummed affirmatively.

"Mmhmm. I figured you would've entered the fashion industry. You always were the fashionable type. What did you study anyways?"

"Marketing."

"Oh. That makes sense. Weren't you in charge of marketing for Ebina's play during the culture festival all those years ago?"

"Yeah..." Yumiko replied.

"Hmm. Shouldn't you have tried pursuing related to what you wanted to study?"

"Yeah...I suppose you're right…" Yumiko thought back to her conversation with Kyoko earlier and felt a small pang of unpleasantness as she answered. Everyone around her seems to be going along their chosen path and yet she still finds herself still stuck at an impasse. Yumiko shook her head to chase away those uncomfortable feelings.

Taking note of the current level of liquor that remained in her glass, Yumiko gestured to the bartender. At the moment, Yumiko decided that more liquor was the best course of action.

"Kawasaki, can I get another?"

"Sure."

* * *

Some time later, when Kyoko was clearly no longer able to hold on to her liquor, Yumiko decided to call it a night. Thankfully, Saki had called for a cab for the two several minutes prior to the blonde announcing their departure.

Soon after, Saki and Yumiko carried Kyoko to the taxicab waiting out in front. After successfully buckling up the younger woman, Yumiko turned to the bartender and gave her a slight smile.

"Kawasaki. Thanks."

Saki simply acknowledged Yumiko's gratitude with a nod as Yumiko took a seat next to her coworker. Right before Yumiko was able to close the door, the bartender called out to her in a cool, stern, voice.

"Miura."

"Yeah?"

"You really shouldn't take life so frivolously." There was wisdom and a tinge of kindness as she spoke.

Yumiko could only nod in response.

As Kawasaki faded into the distance, Yumiko rested her palm against her cheek and stared out the window, contemplating Kawasaki's final words.

* * *

 **A/N:** Man, it has been a real long time since I updated (and that goes for all my stories!). I was supposed to publish this chapter months ago!

Sorry.

Things happened and I guess I found myself _stuck in a rut._

Anyways...to those who have been waiting for some sort of update for this fic or any of my other fics, thanks for waiting. I appreciate it. I have no idea when I'd publish a future update. I'm still trying to find my stride, but I do hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

Indeed, this is eventually going to be a Yumiko x Saki fic. **Eventually.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: The Tender Beauty Gets Invited to Dinner**

The following Monday, Yumiko began her day with a shower to wash away any previous excesses. Thinking back to last Friday, while she did thoroughly enjoy spending time with Kyoko, she never expected to drink as much as she ended up doing. She may not have drank herself to the point of no return, but she drank enough to give her a slight feeling of uneasiness the following day.

She never expected to encounter Kawasaki Saki either.

Back in high school, Yumiko never did like Kawasaki. As a former Queen Bee, Kawasaki's delinquent personality was one that she found revolting. Saki was exactly the kind of person she was unable to exert any kind of authority over. However, it wasn't as if Yumiko hated her. If anything, despite the fact that the two never quite got along, Yumiko had a begrudging respect for the soon-to-be-former bartender for her domestic abilities.

In her conversations with both Kyoko and Kawasaki, she couldn't help but slightly envy the two women for having a direction in their respective lives. There was a time, long ago as a high school student, where she may have felt as if she was on top of the world. Fast forward to today, she had never expected to become just another cog on the wheel. Unlike the two, she felt as if she's trudging along life just doing what was expected of her to do, unsure of what she wanted.

Stepping out of the shower with renewed vigor, Yumiko made her way towards her bedroom dresser to plan out her work attire for the morning. After getting dressed and taking the time to apply her makeup, Yumiko picked up her phone only to find two new messages in her inbox from Yui and Hina, It had been a while since she was in communication with either of the two, so she was quite happy to hear from them.

Inside each message was an invitation to get together this upcoming weekend. Apparently, their entire clique from high school wanted to reunite. In addition, Yui had also invited Yumiko over to her home for dinner later this evening, though Yumiko wasn't sure how felt about that. Yui was never the greatest of cooks.

She would need to give it a bit of thought.

* * *

Yumiko rolled back on her chair and stretched out her arms to relieve some of the stiffness she had developed over the last few hours. It was lunch and she was eager to eat her convenience store bento, a chicken katsu box.

Arriving into the break room, after pulling her meal out of her bag, Yumiko placed the box in front of her and eyed the contents before clasping her hands together in a quick prayer.

"Thanks for the meal."

Soon after, Kyoko entered with a cup of warm instant noodles and quickly made a stride towards her senior.

"Hey Yumiko-senpai. I had a lot of fun last Friday. It was awesome."

"Same here. How was the rest of your weekend?"

Taking a seat across from Yumiko, Kyoko slurped up some noodles before replying.

"It was okay. I was mostly lazing around at home." She replied and continued slurping up more noodles. Kyoko found herself eyeing Yumiko's bento. For the younger woman, chicken katsu looks damn good right now.

"Yeah? I pretty much did the same thing." Yumiko nodded. Taking notice that Kyoko had been staring at her meal intently, Yumiko decided she should offer some to her kohai.

"Want some?" Yumiko asked as she nudged her bento towards Kyoko.

"I'd love some! Thanks senpai!" The younger woman beamed. Taking a piece, Kyoko chewed on the chicken cutlet and couldn't help but gush a bit. "Oh my...this is pretty good."

"It's good huh? Would you like some more?" Yumiko inquired as she held up another piece between her chopsticks.

"Nope! I just wanted to try some."

As the two continued eating their respective meals while chatting away enthusiastically, Hachiman entered the break room and made his way to the vending machine. After a bit of deliberation, the man made his decision and soon a yellow and black aluminum can emerged from the machine. After sipping some of the contents gingerly, a small smile crept on his face as he sighed deeply.

"Hikigaya-san! Over here!" Kyoko called out.

Upon hearing the young woman's voice, Hachiman glanced over to where Yumiko and Kyoko were and decided to make his way to their table.

"Yo."

"Hey Hikigaya-san. What're you drinking?"

"Oh this?" Hachiman gestured to his can before taking another gulp. "It's MAX COFFEE."

"Oh? I never tried MAX COFFEE before."

The editor raised an eyebrow. "Really? It's pretty damn good."

"Geez. I really don't know why you like that stuff. Isn't it just coffee with an unhealthy amount of condensed milk and sugar?" Yumiko commented. Her response seemed to have immediately irked the editor as his eyes narrowed and his arms were crossed.

"Like hell." Hachiman scoffed. "Miura, if you think you can just dump condensed milk and sugar into coffee and call it MAX, you're sorely mistaken."

"Are you serious, Hikio? You're actually pissed off about that?! It's just coffee!" Yumiko was incredulous. She knew the man loved his MAX COFFEE, but she couldn't help but wonder just how much did he love the beverage.

"You call yourself a Chiban? Miura, let me tell you that MAX COFFEE is not simply mere coffee." Hachiman countered.

"What the hell? What does Chiba even have to do with MAX COFFEE?"

" _Everything."_

"...Um...Hikigaya-san?" Kyoko's voice had cut through the two's small banter, diffusing any developing tension. She held out an empty paper cup. "Do you mind if I can try some?"

Hachiman looked hesitant for a moment but ultimately decided to pour a bit into her cup. Kyoko sipped the beverage gingerly and let the contents sit on her palette so she can properly taste the flavor notes.

"Woah...this is really sweet..." Kyoko muttered under her breath, though Hachiman and Yumiko could hear it quite clearly. With a smile, the younger woman added, "It's not bad though."

The editor nodded with approval. "I recommend drinking it warm in the winter. Hot or cold, MAX COFFEE is pretty good at any time of the year, but it's especially good when it's getting cold outside." The editor added. Kyoko nodded, taking his advice to heart.

"Yumiko-senpai. Do you want some?" Kyoko asked, offering what's left in her cup.

"No thanks." Yumiko shook her head. "Hikio tried to convert me and his wife into the church of MAX COFFEE and it didn't work out. I'm just not gonna have it."

"For your information Miura, my wife likes MAX COFFEE."

"Why should I be surprised? She does live with you after all. She probably developed a taste for it." The blonde retorted. Realizing this conversation was getting nowhere, Yumiko decided to change the subject.

"Anyways, how's work? Zaimokuza still giving you trouble?"

"Its…its been frustrating to say the least." Hachiman paused and took a sip of his drink. "From what he told me, the upcoming chapter's rewrite will be ready soon."

"That doesn't sound all that bad." Yumiko remarked.

"From your perspective, I suppose so. However, we're behind schedule and we had promised the fans that the next volume will be available by this upcoming winter. We may have to push the date back." Hachiman replied with a shrug. Leaning back on his chair, he clasped his hands behind his head and glanced up to the ceiling.

"But whats been also rather frustrating as of late has been working with Watari."

"Watari?" Yumiko asked before taking another bite from her bento before continuing. "Why?"

Hachiman returned to a regular seating position before leaning forward slightly while resting his chin in his hands. His eyes narrowed in internal contemplation as he took a moment to think about the issue at hand.

"Well, while we don't have a solid release date established, the fans have been clamoring for volume 12 of _Yahari._ The editorial staff did reject a number of possible drafts for the volume for various reasons, but now that he has been so involved in a number of other projects, we don't know when it'll ever be released. Some of our readers have become frustrated."

"So you're trying to get him to finish it?" Kyoko asked.

"Yeah." Hachiman affirmed. "Not sure how I'll manage to do it. At the very least, he was able to tie up the side story that was paired with the blu-rays. It may not be volume 12, but at the very least it'll sate some of the fans' appetites for the time being."

Hachiman pulled out his cellphone to check the time. Since his break was almost over, the editor finished the remnants of his drink and properly disposed it before approaching Yumiko and Kyoko.

"I should go. Miura, did you get Yui's invite?"

"Which one? She sent me two different invites."

"The one for dinner later tonight. She wanted me to confirm if you're going since she accidentally left her phone at home."

"I was going to give it some thought..."

"If you're worried about her cooking, don't worry. Yukinoshita has been helping her improve."

"Is that so? If that's the case...Yeah, I guess I'm definitely going then."

"Alright. I'll let her know. See you two later."

"Later Hikio."

"Bye, Hikigaya-san."

As Hachiman strode through the door, Yumiko and Kyoko began to clean up their table. The two chatted their way out of the break room before making their way to their respective desks.

* * *

After her shift was over, Yumiko decided to go straight home. Normally, she'd like to make a trip to the grocery store to find ingredients for what she would plan to have for dinner, and if she was lucky, hopefully a flash sale would take place around the same time. She was, by no means, a great cook. Yumiko may not be like Yukinoshita or even Kawasaki, but her cooking skills had developed to be definitely serviceable at best. Convenience store bentos are great from time to time, but as tempting as they may be, it would be both expensive and unhealthy in the long-run. Living in Tokyo wasn't cheap, and while Yumiko made a decent enough living to have plenty to splurge, she knew she shouldn't develop bad habits and made it a point to make every yen count.

Now that she knew that tonight she wasn't cooking for herself, Yumiko opted to use her newfound extra time to relax and refresh alone at home. Ever since she had started living in Tokyo, Yumiko learned how to appreciate the solitude. She found it to be an interesting development since she used to be quite social when she was just a few years younger. It seems that the cacophony of noise and the influx of people inherent in a city as grand in scale as Tokyo can get even to the most extroverted of people.

As she approached her apartment complex, Yumiko noticed that a moving van was situated out in front. Her landlord Hachiroku stood nearby, observing the moving crew while taking a drag from his cigarette. When the landlord noticed that the blonde was approaching he took one final drag and extinguished the remainder of the cigarette butt underneath his foot.

"Yumiko. Welcome back. How was work?" Hachiroku greeted. His voice was laced with the scent of tobacco, a scent that Yumiko didn't mind.

"It was okay. It's been the same-old, same-old, day-to-day routine. Nothing new." The blonde shrugged as she stepped to the side to join the landlord in observing the moving crew at work. "Is someone moving?"

"Matsumoto-san."

"The same Matsumoto-san who lives right next to me?" Yumiko had ran into Matsumoto a number of times since she had resided in the apartment complex, but she found the man to be rather unremarkable, so she never paid too much attention to him.

"Yeah. He had been planning this move for some time now. Apparently he got promoted and his company would like for him to transfer to their Osaka division." Hachiroku found himself reaching into his pocket for his pack of smokes and placed a cigarette between his lips. Since he didn't want to be inconsiderate, Hachiroku asked the woman for her approval.

"Do you mind?"

"Not at all. Go ahead."

"Thanks." With her blessing, the landlord lit up the cigarette and took a drag. Out of courtesy, he made sure that he would minimize the amount of smoke Yumiko would inhale by exhaling away from the woman. "Anyways, we'll have some new tenants moving in a few weeks."

"You know who they are?" Yumiko asked while Hachiroku took a moment to take another drag.

"I can't exactly remember their names off the top of my head, but she and her younger sister will be the ones taking over Matsumoto-san's apartment."

"I see..." Yumiko mused.

Remembering that she didn't want to be late on the rent again, Yumiko reached into her purse and pulled out an envelope. "Anyways, here is the month's rent. I'm sorry about last time."

"I forgive you. Just try not to make a habit of it, okay? You've always been on time."

"Yeah, I know. I should go Hachiroku-san. It was nice talking to you."

"Take care Yumiko."

* * *

As Yumiko waited by the front door of the Hikigaya household, she took a moment to observe her environment. Much like the rest of the houses in the surrounding area, the exterior of the Hikigaya family residence was two-storied and nondescript. However, it was perfect to serve the needs of a growing family. Although she wasn't ready and doesn't exactly need to move, she wondered if there will ever be a time where she will be able to move out of her apartment.

"Sup. Sorry for the wait. I had to finish up something. Please come inside." Hachiman greeted and gestured for Yumiko to enter.

Immediately to Yumiko's left was an office space where Hachiman worked. To her right, was a staircase that led to the upper floor and a door that led to the garage. Down the hall, to her left, Yumiko could see the entrances to the lower floor bathroom, laundry room, and the tatami room. To her right, the hallway would lead to an open-floor kitchen and living space.

"Hikki! Is Yumiko here?" Yui called out from the kitchen around the corner.

"Yeah. We'll be right over."

After kicking her shoes off, Yumiko and Hachiman strode into the kitchen to find Yui preparing to put a cake in the oven while Yukino quietly observed. Glancing over towards the dining table, Yumiko could see several delightfully prepared dishes. Hachiman was right. Yui definitely did improve under the careful tutelage of Yukino. Still, Yumiko couldn't help but wonder how much did Yukino have a hand in Yui's cooking. In any case, the raven-haired beauty was quick to be the first to acknowledge Yumiko's presence.

"Ah...Miura-san. Hello."

"Hey Yukinoshita-san."

"Yumiko! Yahallo!"

Yui ran up to Yumiko and gave her a great hug and a wide smile.

"I'm so happy to see you! It's been a while!" Yui beamed.

"Yeah, definitely. You look good, Yui."

"Thanks!"

Seeing as it had been several months since she had last seen Yui, Yumiko took a moment to observe the mother-to-be from head to toe. She couldn't help but blink as she observed how big Yui's belly had become. It was only a few months ago that Yui had a slight mound around her navel, but now it seems as if the woman had stuffed a balloon under her shirt.

"This is totally unreal...I can't believe you're going to be a mom."

"Hehe." Yui giggled. "I still can't believe it myself sometimes!"

Yui ushered her two friends to the dining table. Pulling a chair out slightly from the table as a gesture to take a seat, Yui called out to Yukino and Yumiko.

"Come on! Let's eat! Don't want the food to get cold now!"

Yumiko and Yukino both glanced at each other and smiled softly at one another before making their way to the table. Any remnants of animosity between the two were long gone by now, replaced by mutual respect for one another.

"Well...I hope the food is good..." The blonde quietly remarked.

"Do not worry Miura-san. I've taught Yui-san well. I can guarantee you'll be pleasantly surprised." Yukino assured. There was a degree of understated pride laced in her voice.

"If you say so."

As the three women took their seats at the dining table, Hachiman approached his wife.

"Yui, there is something I need to do. I'll join you guys in a few minutes." he stated.

"Okay, Hikki. Go for it."

With that, the man stepped out of the kitchen and walked over to his office. Yui elicited a tender expression as she watched her husband step out of the room.

"Hikki...he's been working so hard..."

"Is it because of Hikari?" Yumiko inquired.

"Yeah." Yui replied, rubbing the large mound on her belly. "Shogakukan is short on editors, so he's been tied up in a lot of things. He really wants to spend time with her."

"No wonder he's complaining that they're working him like a dog."

"Yeah...but as much as he doesn't want to admit it, Hikki really does like his job."

"It's interesting to see how much Hikigaya-kun has changed over the years. He used to be quite lazy." Yukino remarked.

"Mmhmm. You're totally right Yukinon."

It wasn't long before Hachiman joined the women at the table. Apparently, he was working on an editorial for an upcoming issue of _Weekly Shonen Sunday_. Contrary to its name, a new issue is released every Wednesday.

As the four ate and conversed amongst themselves, it was clear that Yui and Yumiko dominated the conversation. It had been several months since either of the two had seen each other, so there was quite a bit to catch up on. For the two introverts, Hachiman and Yukino, they found it relieving that they didn't have to talk too much. There wasn't much either of them could add to the conversation.

"So Yui...I got your text earlier; Hina sent me one too. What's exactly going on this weekend?" Yumiko inquired.

"Oh yeah! Me and Hina ran into Hayato a couple of days ago. We spent a lot of time talking so we'd thought it'd be nice to get everyone together again for lunch."

"Hina and Hayato were in town?"

"Yup. Hina was just visiting family while Hayato had some business he needed to attend to. You know, Hina wanted to join us tonight."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I invited her over, but she couldn't make it due to work."

Realizing that her husband and her best friend were awfully quiet at the dinner table, Yui decided to strike up some conversation. "Hey Hikki, did you know Sai-chan is now working at my hospital?"

"Really? What's Totsuka doing over there?" Hachiman asked in between bites.

"He's a nurse! My coworkers and patients love him!"

 _'Totsuka...in a nurse's outfit...'_ The editor found himself indulging in a personal fantasy. A sleazy look had spread across his face as he dwelled further in his thoughts.

"Hikinasty-kun. I don't know what you're thinking, but I suggest you wipe that disgusting look off your face." Yukino chided. The former ice queen stared coldly at Hachiman. For that moment, it was as if the woman had thought of the editor as a piece of trash.

"I was doing no such thing..."

Yumiko watched as a smile crept upon Yui's features as she enjoyed her husband and her friend's back-and-forth banter. Yumiko knew there was no malice behind Hachiman's and Yukino's words. It was just a normal thing for the three of them. She couldn't help but respect the bond the three had shared as a grin crept upon her own features.

* * *

 **A/N:** Just for clarification, Shogakukan is the publishing company responsible for releasing the Oregairu light novels. _Weekly Shonen Sunday_ is a weekly publication that is home to manga such as _Detective Conan, Hayate the Combat Butler,_ and _Inuyasha._

This chapter may not be much but please enjoy.


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